Census returns open to all next century

Press, 18 February 1986, Page 16

Census returns open to all next century

PA Wellington Individual returns from the 1986 census will not be destroyed this year, and will be made available to the public for study — in 100 years time. The Government Statistician, Mr Steve Kuzmicich, said that although the census questionnaires were usually destroyed to preserve confidentiality, they would be kept this year. Mr Kuzmlcich said New Zealand’s chief archivist had access rights by law to population census records. “The law provides, after 100 years, the census questionnaires to be available for archival purposes,” Mr Kuzmlcich said.

“We are going to keep them within the possession of the department in micro form, or some similar medium, in the aim of making them available for archival study — but

only after one century.” A publicity campaign will begin on February 22 to increase public awareness of citizens’ obligations in the census on March 4.

Delivery of census papers will begin on Saturday. Special enumerators will be placed on trains, and travellers will be expected to fill in the form at midnight on Census night “Strict security will be enforced while . census enumerators are collecting the completed questionnaires,” Mr Kuzmlcich. said.

Mr Cook said some items had been cut from the questionnaires. The question on family relationships had been changed, and there was a new question about voluntary work. There was considerable interest in family formation statistics and the fertility of the population, he

said. Mr Cook said the department checked responses on questionnaires for consistency. Flippant comments were often followed up, and foul language was not accepted. He said that in 1931, 85.5 per cent of the population completed all questions on the census form correctly. Another 10 per cent completed all questions but one. Mr Cook said 159 people were prosecuted after the last census. “A large number of those prosecutions were in fact dismissed because people filled in the papers almost at the court room door. We ended up with 89 people who were dealt with by the Court, a small number were convicted and discharged, a small number were dismissed, and the rest were convicted and fined,” Mr Cook said.